frown
English · Thesaurus
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frown¹
- /ˈfɹaʊ̯n/ US, UK
- /ˈfɹæʊ̯n/
- /ˈfɹaːn/
Rhymes with -aʊn
Where it comes from
From Middle English frown, froun (“a threatening appearance; lowering of the clouds”), from frounen (“to frown”). See below.
noun frowns
- A wrinkling of the forehead with the eyebrows brought together, typically indicating displeasure, severity, or concentration. Philip had once told him of a man who had a horse-shoe frown, and Tom had tried with all his frowning-might to make a horse-shoe on his forehead
- A downturn of the corners of the mouth, typically expressing sadness. The smile and the frown are both indicated and the operation of a motor driven flasher causes the face to look happy and sad in turn.
- Any facial expression that indicates disapproval or displeasure.
frown²
- /ˈfɹaʊ̯n/ US, UK
- /ˈfɹæʊ̯n/
- /ˈfɹaːn/
Rhymes with -aʊn
Where it comes from
From Middle English frounen (“to frown as an expression of disapproval, displeasure, shame, fear, or jealousy”), from Old French froignier, froingnier, frognier (“to wrinkle the mouth or forehead, frown, scowl”), of uncertain and disputed origin. Perhaps from Medieval Latin fruncāre (“to wrinkle, crease, turn up one's nose, make a face, frown”) (compare Old High German fruncetura (“wrinkle”), via Latin), from Frankish *hrunkwittjā (“wrinkle”)/*hrunkwōn (“to wrinkle”), whence Old High German runza (“wrinkle”). See also French froncer (“to frown, scowl”).
Alternatively, perhaps from Gaulish *frognā (“nostril”), from Proto-Celtic *srognā (“nose”).
Still yet, perhaps of North Germanic origin, related to Swedish fryna (“to frown, frown with one's nose, make a wry face”), Norwegian frøyna (“to wrinkle up one's nose, make a wry face; snort”). Compare also dialectal English frine (“to frown, whine, complain”).
verb frowns · frowning · frowned
- To have a frown on one's face. She frowned when I told her the news.
- To manifest displeasure or disapprobation; to look with disfavour or threateningly. Noisy gossip in the library is frowned upon.
- To repress or repel by expressing displeasure or disapproval; to rebuke with a look. Let us frown the impudent fellow into silence.
- To communicate by frowning. Frank frowned his displeasure with my proposal.
Similar: scowl
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: scowl, glower, lower, lour, sulk, pout, grimace, glare, wrinkle, sneer, sour, knit, brood, furrow, grim, disapprove
verb
Similar: scowl
Translations
Every language
noun wrinkling of the forehead
| Español | ceño, zuño, encapotadura, encapotamiento |
|---|---|
| 中文 | 愁眉苦臉 /愁眉苦脸 chóuméikǔliǎn, 皺眉 /皱眉 zhòuméi |
| Português | franzimento |
| Français | froncement |
| Deutsch | finsterer Blick, Stirnrunzeln |
| Italiano | accigliato, accigliamento, corruccio, corrucciamento |
| Ελληνικά | συνοφρύωση synofrýosi |
| Română | încruntare |
| Русский | нахму́ренные бро́ви naxmúrennyje bróvi, насу́пленные бро́ви nasúplennyje bróvi, хму́рый взгляд xmúryj vzgljad |
| Tiếng Việt | cau mày, chau mày |
| العربية | عُبُوسة ʕubūsa, عُبُوس ʕubūs |
noun downturn of the corners of the mouth
| Deutsch | Flunsch, Hängenlassen der Mundwinkel, hängende Mundwinkel |
|---|
verb to have a frown on one's face
| Español | fruncir el ceño, arrugar el ceño, torcer el gesto, poner gesto, encapotarse |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 눈살을 찌푸리다 nunsar-eul jjipurida, 찡그리다 jjinggeurida |
| 日本語 | 顔を顰める kao o shikameru |
| 中文 | 皺眉 /皱眉 zhòuméi, 蹙額 /蹙额 cù'é, 蹙眉 cùméi, 顰 /颦 pín |
| Português | fazer cara feia, franzir o cenho |
| Français | froncer les sourcils |
| Deutsch | die Stirn runzeln |
| Italiano | accigliarsi, corrucciarsi, imbronciare, immusonirsi, risentirsi, imbronciarsi |
| Ελληνικά | συνοφρυώνομαι synofryónomai |
| Română | încrunta |
| Русский | хму́риться xmúritʹsja, нахму́риться naxmúritʹsja, хму́рить бро́ви xmúritʹ bróvi, нахму́рить бро́ви naxmúritʹ bróvi, су́питься súpitʹsja, насу́пливаться nasúplivatʹsja |
| العربية | عَبَسَ ʕabasa, عَقَدَ حَاجِبَيْهُ ʕaqada ḥājibayhu |
Talk about this word "frown." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/frown. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. frown. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/frown "frown." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/frown.Cite this
@misc{frown_2026,
title = {frown},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/frown},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
